Dear colleagues,
This has been forwarded to me from our Slavic Languages Bibliographer here
at Columbia University, with the request to pass it on to you. I am
deleting the attachment because I fear it is large, but the citation below
should be adequate.
---Paula Gabbard,
Avery Architectural and
Fine Arts Library
Columbia University
>X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.2.2
>Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2002 11:55:01 -0400
>To: Paula Gabbard <[log in to unmask]>
>From: Jared Ingersoll <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Fwd: Alphabet book
>
>Dear Paula,
>I had a chance to meet with the translator and publisher of a very
>interesting book that deserves attention by anyone interested in European
>modernism. Since they have no marketing capability, I agreed to do what I
>can to bring it to the attention of librarians covering Slavic studies and
>to see if I could get a sympathetic soul to post it to ARLIS (if you think
>it appropriate) or another venue.
>
>Bibliographic and ordering information are included below. A Czech reprint
>was published in 1993, but this is the first English version. The volume
>itself is very nicely assembled and presented.
>
>Please let me know if you can help me get the word out.
>Many thanks in advance,
> Jared.
>
>
>>X-Originating-IP: [63.214.203.97]
>>From: "Matthew S. Witkovsky" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Alphabet book
>>Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2002 11:32:39 -0400
>>X-OriginalArrivalTime: 09 Apr 2002 15:32:40.0538 (UTC)
>>
>>9 April 2002
>>
>>Dear Jared:
>>
>>Thank you for your enthusiastic interest in Alphabet, the facsimile
>>translation Jindrich Toman and I undertook of a poem by Vitezslav Nezval
>>published in book form in 1926 in Prague. I am sending a description of
>>this book, and of the new translation, both in the text below and in an
>>attachment.
>>
>>Many thanks for offering to post news of the book's publication on one
>>slavic lit. and one art-book library website. All the necessary contact
>>information is given in the accompanying attachments. With best greetings,
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>Matt Witkovsky
>>
>>
>>Vitezslav Nezval. Alphabet, with dance compositions by Milca Mayerova.
>>Designed by Karel Teige. Facsimile reprint of the original edition of
>>1926, translated by Jindrich Toman and Matthew S. Witkovsky. Ann Arbor:
>>Michigan Slavic Publications, 2001. Softcover, 70 pp. 12 x 9.25" (30 x
>>23.5 cm). ISBN 0-930042-88-3. Price: $32.00
>>
>>Contact: Josephine Dickinson, Slavic Department, University of Michigan
>>Telephone: (734) 764 5355 Fax: (734) 647-2127 E-mail:
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>The 1926 book Alphabet (Abeceda) is widely recognized today as a
>>consummate Czech contribution to European modernism. A collaborative
>>venture, this book juxtaposes pithy verses by Vitezslav Nezval
>>(1901-1958), inspired by the letters of the Roman alphabet, with
>>photographs of a dance choreographed to accompany the recitation of the
>>poem by Milca Mayerova (1901-1977). Mayerova's dance poses appear within
>>a constructivist photomontage layout fashioned by graphic artist and
>>essayist Karel Teige (1900-1951), a leading figure with Nezval of the
>>avant-garde group Devetsil (1920-1931). A separate photomontage
>>accompanies each of the twenty-five pages of verse. As a visual object, a
>>poem, and the record of a stage performance, Alphabet offers a unique
>>distillation of the creative spirit of the 1920s in Europe.
>>
>>Although images from the book have been featured prominently in
>>exhibitions and advertisements connected with Czech and Central European
>>modernism, the publication has never before been available in English.
>>This facsimile reprint retains the format and feel of the original, with
>>some technical improvements to the clarity of the photomontages. The
>>original Czech text is appended, along with a four-page postscript by
>>Matthew S. Witkovsky that details the history of this highly innovative
>>publication.
>>
>>Alphabet is the third volume in the Michigan Slavic Publications series
>>Czech Translations, edited by Jindrich Toman. Further facsimile
>>translations are planned of rare and important books from the interwar
>>period, including Jaromir Funke and Ladislav Sutnar (eds.), Photography
>>Sees the Surface (1935) and Jaroslav Seifert, On Radio Waves (1925).
>
__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
Administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
to [log in to unmask]
ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]
__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
Administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
to [log in to unmask]
ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]
